Electric therapeutic device



June 8 1926. 1,587,505

R. w. CHAPMAN I ELECTRIC THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed March 29, 1924 Fig.1.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 InVenTor. Ralph W. Chapmanby wwi A'fiys June 8 1926.1,587,505

R. w. CHAPMAN ELECTRIC THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed March 29, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenTor.

Ralph W.Chqpmun b awz Mam Patented June S, 192%.

UNITED. (STATES PATENTJOFFIZCE.

. RALPH W. GERMAN, OF OLD TOWN, MAINE, ASSIGNOZRJ TO '1. -1V[. OHAIPMANSSONS GO.,

OF OLD TOWN, MAINE,

A CORPORATION OF. MAINE.

ELECTRIC THERAIEEUTIC DEVICE.

Application filed March 29, 1924. Serial No. 702,822.

This invention relates to an electric therapeutic device andparticularly to the stand on which the electric generating apparatus issupported.

In using an electric therapeutic apparatus of the type shown in myPatents Number 1,153,839, dated Sept. 1%, 1915, and No. 1268,5415, datedJune 1, 1918 it is customary to employ amoist pad or surface elec trodeWhich is placed on the body of the patient at the point where thetreatment is to be applied and which is electrically connected to thegenerating apparatus. It is the usual practice to have the moist padheated when it is applied to the patient, this commonly being done byimmersing the pads in warm water which serves both for moistening themand heating them.

These pads after being thus immersed in the warm water are usuallysqueezed or wrung to express some of the surplus water and it frequentlyhappens that more or less of a time interval will elapse between theheating of the pad and its application to the body of the patient- Afterthe warm Water has been squeezed from the pad the surface tends to coolvery quickly and unless the pad is applied immediately to the patientafter it has been heated it has a cold or clammy feeling which isunpleasant.

One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a novelelectric therapeutic apparatus'of this type which has associatedtherewith means for not only heating the pads but for maintaining themhot until they are applied. In accordance with the present invention thestand or support for the electric generating apparatus is formed with aheating chamber within which are located heating units, preferably inthe form of electric lamps, which chamber is covered by a metal platethat while the heating units are in operation. This plate forms asupport 'on which the moist pads may be laid and the heat from the plateserves to keep the pads or electrodes hot until they are applied to thepatient. The heater is so arranged that the pads may be steam heated, ifdesired, and I have found from experiment that a pad heated by asteaming process is more soothing to the patient than one heated bysimply dipping it in hot water.

A further object "of my invention is to provide an improved constructionfor thus becomes rapidly heated heating the pads by which they can bethoroughly sterilized so that my invention accomplishes both heating andsterilization of the pad.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated inthe drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be describedafter which the novel features will be pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Fig. l is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a top planview of the stand showing the table portion thereofwith the electric generator removed; j

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 2.

In the drawings 1 indicates generally a sinusoidal Wave generator of thetype illustrated inmy Patents No. 1,153,839, dated September 14th, 1915and No. 1,268,5 1.), dated June 4th, 1918. This is supported on a standindicated generally at 2 and which comprises a base or tripod 3', acolumn 1 rising therefrom and a top or table portion 5 on which theapparatus 1 is secured. The generating apparatus 1 is shown mounted onthe back portion ofthe table or support at the point indicated at 6 inFig. 2 and the portion of the table in front of the apparatus is formedwith a chamber 7 adapted to receive some suitable heating units by whichthe pads may be heated or sterilized. This chamber 7 is herein shown asformed within a sheet metal casing 13 which is re movably retained in anopening 14 formed in the table portion 5 which is preferably of castmetal. 7

While any suitable heating apparatus may be employed for this purpose Iprefer some form of electric heater and have obtained excellent resultsby the use of elec tric la1i1ps 8. These lamps are supported in suitablesockets 9 which are attached to a supportingplate 10 secured in thelower end'of the chamber 7. The chamber is also provided with areflecting member 11 which is preferably removably retained in place bymeans of screws or bolts 12 that extend through the sides of the casing13 of the chamber 7 This reflecting member is provided with openingsthrough which the lamps or bulbs 8 extend so thatthe bulbs are situatedabove the reflector.

The heating chamber 7 is closed at the top by means of a pad-supportingplate 15 which will preferably be of some non-corrodible metal, such forinstance as the well known Monel metal. This plate 15 is shown as havinga peripheral lip or flange 16 which embraces the upper edge of thecasing 13 and sets into a recess formed in the table 5. The plate 15 ispreferably constructed so that it comes substantially flush with thesurface of the table 5. Then the lamps are lighted the heat therefromheats the plate 15 sufficiently for use without danger of overheatingit. The plate 15, which forms both a cover for the heating chamber and ahot plate on which the pads may be heated, is removably retained inposition by means of buttons or retainers 20.

17 indicates a pad or moist electrode such as may be used in connectionwith this apparatus. In using the device the electrode would be wet ormoistened and then placed on the hot plate 15, the heat from which willkeep the pad hot and some of the moisture in the pad will be convertedinto steam which will penetrate the pad thus subjecting it to a steamingoperation which thoroughly heats it.

The pad may be kept on the hot plate 15 while the patient is beingprepared for the reception of the pad and when the patient is ready thepad may be quickly transferred from the hot plate to the patient andthus applied to the patient in a heated condition.

18 indicates a pan-shaped receptacle which is preferably of a size tocover the hot plate 15. This receptacle 18 is useful when the pads areto be sterilized, for by moistening the pads and then placing them onthe hot plate 15 and covering the plate 15 with the receptacle ininverted position as shown in Fig. 3 the pad-receiving chamber is formedin which the pads are subjected to a thorough steaming operation and ifthey are left in this chamber for a sufiicient length of time theybecome thoroughly sterilized.

This receptacle 18 may be also used for heating water in which tomoisten the pads for by turning the receptacle 18 right side up andplacing water therein and then placing the receptacle on the hot plate15 the water will become rapidly heated and can be used for moisteningthe pads.

ith this device, therefore, a physician does not need to have hot waterin his oflice for heating the pads as the heat may be done through thereceptacle 18.

The table top is shown as provided with towel racks 19 on which towels,napkins, etc., may be supported in convenient position for use.

I claim.

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a standhaving a table portion adapted to receive an electric therapeuticapparatus and provided with a heat ing chamber situated below the top ofthe table, of electric heating devices in said chamber and anon-corrodible plate forming a removable cover for the chamber and a hotplate on which pads to be heated may be placed.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a standhaving a table portion adapted to receive an electric therapeuticapparatus, said table portion having an opening, electric heatingdevices in said chamber, of a. casing forming a heating chamber situatedin said opening, a removable cover for said casing which forms the topof the heating chamber and closes the opening, said cover being ofnon-corrodible metal and forming a hot plate on which pads to be heatedmay be placed.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a standhaving a table portion adapted to receive an electric therapeuticapparatus, said table portion having an opening, of a casing forming aheating chamber situated in said opening, a removable cover for saidcasing which forms the top of the heating chamber and closes theopening, said cover being of non-corrodible metal and forming a hotplate on which pads to be heated may be placed, said table having towelracks on its sides.

' In a. device of the class described, the combination with astandhaving a table portion adapted to receive an electric therapeuticapparatus, said table portion having an opening, of a casing forming aheating chamber situated in said opening, a removable cover for saidcasing which forms the top of the heating chamber and closes theopening, said cover being of non-cor rodible metal and forming a hotplate on which pads to be heated may be placed, and a dished coveradapted to enclose the pads while being heated and forming with the hotplate a sterilizing chamber in which said pads may be sterilizied.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a standhaving a table portion adapted to receive an electric therapeuticapparatus, said table portion having any opening, of a casing situatedbeneath said opening and forming a heating chamber, electric heatingdevices in said chamber, a removable cover for the casing which closesthe opening and forms a heating plate on which pads may be heated, saidcover being of non-corrodible metal and, when in place, being situatedflush with the top surface of the table portion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RALPH WV. CHAPMAN.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,587,505, grantedJune 8, 1926, 'upon the application of Ralph W. Chapman, of Old Town,Maine, for an improvement in Electric Therapeutic Devices, an errorappears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows:Page 2, lines 7 5 and 76, claim 2, strike out the Words and commaelectric heating devices: in said chamber, and insert the same to followafter the Word opening in line 77, same claim; and that the said LettersPatent should be read With this correction therein that the same mayconform tothe record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of July, A. D. 1926.

[SEAL] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissiomr of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,587,505, grantedJune 8, 1926, 'upon the application of Ralph W. Chapman, of Old Town,Maine, for an improvement in Electric Therapeutic Devices, an errorappears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows:Page 2, lines 75 and 76, claim 2, strike out the Words and commaelectric heating devices: in said chamber, and insert the same to followafter the Word opening in line 77, same claim; and that the said LettersPatent should be read With this correction therein that the same mayconform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of July, A. D. 1926.

[smn] M. J. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

